Modern Technology
The most common state of technology is at the start of a widespread industrial revolution although the methods and applications are different in different places. The most modern weapons are ring guns which use several old crafting techniques in new ways while the most modern transport method is the pulse plane which are still early in their development being short ranged, expensive, unreliable and with little cargo capacity. Steam powered trains exist but are weak and localised due to low steam capacities and dangerous wildernesses, the most advanced trains only carrying a few tons in cargo and usually being found entirely in mining operations. These latest technologies are not widely spread being almost entirely localised among the upper classes of the largest cities with many of even the richest nations rural citizens even hearing of such technological wonders let alone see them. Tribalistic societies byond the fringes of organised society would likely consider such devices as either miraculous or profane. Ring Weapons Ring weapons use a magic sustaining material as ammunition such as yellow obsidian, frosted brass or in rare cases blue amber and a carved ring of sparked crystal along with a mechanical firing mechanism and a fuel like fire powder, rackweave or blast fluid. By striking the ring with sudden, powerful but precisely placed strike which then siphons magic from the sustaining material and flings it's raw energy from the barrel. The sustaining material can run out of magical energy which will then need to be replaced, in addition sustained or incorrect use can shatter the ring of sparked crystal which can make the gun inoperable and finally if the user lacks fuel cartidges or hand loaded fuel then it can't be used. This reaction is used to create firearms but there have been a few esoteric craftsman who have attempted to find a new edge for their infantry in close quarters resulting in ring devised melee weapons. Ring Rifle Ring Pistol The downside of the pistol is it's weight and it's fragility, with it's thin ring and bulky defensive crown it can still be used in one hand but it weighs on it after a few shots. The gun is fragile enough that it could break it's ring just by dropping it so it's not a favoured weapon in combat, usually used by specialists and those who must keep their other hand busy. Malfunctions are common as even slight effects can cause the ring to crack and then shatter with use but the magical output in such is low and repair is easy and often prepared for. Ring Cannon A seige weapon of great power but heavy cost, it burns through it's sustaining material in a single shot that rattles the heavy weapon and blast all of it's output over a great distance. The thick ring of sparked crystal glows brightly with it's greasy yellow light as it fires. While the chance of malfunction is low the effects of such are dangerous, if the device were to fail during firing the magical potential would cascade through the metal of the cannon until it's melting hulk could hold no more leading to an explosion of raw arcane force. Ring Warhammer A dangerous weapon for it user as much as the enemy it uses the kinetic effect of it's strike to trigger the ring which results in a small release of the magical potential in the sustaining material which is then focused on the impact site as the weapon hits causing a deep impacting blast on the target, throwing the warhammer away on a backswing which adept users usually use to club another foe with the standard back head. Malfunction is unlikely as the devices componants are buried in the weapon but the results of a malfunction are safe, merely causing the ring element of the weapon to be inoperable leaving the user with a normal warhammer the more common problem to deal with is it's low fuel capacity. Ring Heavy Shield A weapon that rewards an enemies strikes with an instant backlash granted by the ring device built into the face of the shield. If an enemy stikes the faceplate of the shield that impact is turned into returned blast that knocks both the enemy and the user back from eachother, the more powerful the blow the more explosive the backlash. Users of this shield favour heavy armor to resist the knockback and to afford not using it too much against ranged attacks which can cause it to fire if the projectile is large enough.